


a true cinematic masterpiece

by memitims



Series: consider ur fav ship [5]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Movie Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-09 03:25:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1967184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/memitims/pseuds/memitims
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>mickey has very little tolerance for shitty horror movies</p>
            </blockquote>





	a true cinematic masterpiece

When Ian was little, Lip used to take him to an old, second-run movie theater by their school, and they would sneak candy from the convenience store past the concessions (because it was cheaper), hiding the Snickers and Junior Mints under their winter coats. Sometimes, Ian would pretend he was a spy, and instead of candy, he was smuggling top-secret weapons into an enemy camp, with danger lurking around every corner. He had a massive imagination, but he usually kept it to himself, making up scenarios inside his head to get away from the reality of his shitty life. They helped him deal with kids at school, helped him pretend his family was normal, helped him fall asleep at night.

Ian had forgotten about their trips to the theater. He had also forgotten how to trick himself into believing his life was okay, that the pain tearing him up inside wasn’t real, that his future was bright and filled with happiness. He spent too much time worrying about reality to pretend it didn’t exist. He wasn’t a kid anymore.

He was hit by a sudden bout of nostalgia, late one summer afternoon, when he whizzed by the movie theater in Mandy’s car, as they headed towards the park to make the most of the last few rays of sunlight. Ian hadn’t thought about that place in years, not the peeling brown paint, nor the half lit-up marquee, covered in dusty bulbs and faded letters.

“Does Mickey like the movies?” he asked Mandy, later that night, as they lounged on the cool grass of a hillside, the sunset filtering over the park, casting weird colors across the landscape.

Mandy shrugged. “Not sure. I don’t think I’ve ever gone with him. We usually just pirate stuff online and hook it up to the TV. Or he watches who-knows-what in his room.

“Hmm.” Ian nodded, thoughtfully, and dropped the subject.

When they got back to the Gallagher’s, Mickey was slouched at the kitchen table, shoveling green beans into his mouth, and making weird faces (Mickey had an aversion to green vegetables, but Ian got pissed at him when he didn’t eat them, because his health was important, so Mickey reluctantly ate them).

“We’re going to see a movie tomorrow,” Ian said, in lieu of a greeting.

“Well hello to you too,” Mickey grunted, around a mouthful of beans. Ian made a face at him, because he was generally conflicted about how Mickey could eat so savagely, yet still remain attractive. It was confusing as hell.

“Hi,” Ian waved. “We’re going to see a movie tomorrow.”

“Fine,” groaned Mickey. “You gonna say it again, asshole?”

Ian opened his mouth, smirking deviously at Mickey, because he was  _so_  easy to tease,  _so_  easy to work up. Ian just couldn’t help it. The guy was just asking for it.

Mickey held up his hand. “That was rhetorical, Ian.” He scratched at his head, thinking for a second. “But I’m not paying good money for some shitty chick-flick, got it?”

Ian nodded, trying not to laugh (Mickey was so full of shit. He enjoyed every second of  _The Proposal_ when Debbie had forced him to watch it). He plopped down at the table next to Mickey and folded his arms against the beaten-up wood, before resting his head on them. Ian turned his head to the side to stare at Mickey, who was still furiously eating his vegetables. 

Mickey gave him a look, the one that said _you're a total weirdo_ , but he reached out and ruffled Ian's hair, fondly. 

 "I want to go to the movies!" Carl called from the kitchen, popping his head up over the counter. 

Ian raised his head and shot Carl a dangerous look. " _Mickey_  and  _I_  are going to the movies. Alone."

Realization spread over Carl's features, and then he narrowed his eyes and gave Ian his trademark smirk. 

"Sit in the back corner," Carl said, slyly. "It's the best place for making out."

Mickey started choking, his face turning red, and Ian clapped him on the back a few times. 

"Thanks Carl," Ian responded, laughing.

\---

The girl at the ticket counter looked supremely bored, and Ian didn't blame her. There didn't seem to be many patrons around. Ian wondered how they were still in business (Mickey too, apparently).

"How is this craphole even open?" Mickey muttered, once they had bought their tickets and started towards the entrance. They had decided on a random horror movie (after some pretty intense arguing, but then Mickey had said 'please' and gave Ian a big, doofy grin, and Ian literally could not deny Mickey anything when he looked at him like that). 

Ian shook his head. "Who cares? It's cheap and the screens are sorta big." Their shoulders brushed as they entered the theater, swallowed up by the shadowy room. Ian squinted in the darkness, and he tugged on Mickey's hand to get his attention, pointing towards the middle of a row near the back. Mickey nodded, and they made their way to the seats. The red fabric on the chairs scratched against the back of Ian's legs (the place seemed to be even seedier than he remembered), but he ignored it, because it didn't matter, not when Mickey's thigh was pressed flush against his. 

The theater was probably a third of the way full, which was kinda surprising, and the old projector kicked to life, whirring noisily behind their heads. It was nice, sitting in the dark with Mickey, passing a bag of Skittles back and forth (which they had snuck in, of course, just like old times. Mickey had pestered Ian about why he was so adamant about going to  _this_  theater, so Ian told him about his and Lip's adventures here as kids, and Mickey had insisted on sneaking candy in to keep the tradition alive. Ian was pretty sure Mickey just liked breaking rules).

Ian hadn't been to a theater in a while, and he forgot how enthralling everything was, the previews, and the surround-sound, and the huge screen. He got caught up in it, his eyes glued to the screen as Mickey breathed softly beside him. 

Unfortunately, as they both soon realized, the movie was literal shit. It wasn't even fucking scary, and Ian could hear Mickey laughing under his breath at the ridiculousness of it all. 

"What the fuck?" Mickey yelled at the screen. "That guy's head already got chopped off? How the fuck is he still alive?"

Ian stifled his laughter with his hand. 

"And that chick killed the other dude with an axe. Are they just forgetting about that? These effects are shitty, too. This movie probably  _lost_  money."

"Shut the fuck up," called a voice from ahead of them, and Ian was really laughing now. 

He put a hand on Mickey's arm, but not before Mickey raised his hand and flipped off the rest of the theater, in general. "Mickey," Ian said, gently, mildly amused by the whole thing. "Why do all our dates end up with you yelling at people?"

"Because people are fucking idiots," Mickey grumbled. "Sorry," he added, turning to Ian. "I didn't mean to ruin the movie. Thanks for taking me."

Ian waved him off. "I know what I signed up for, Mickey. Plus, watching you get angry about stupid shit is far more entertaining than anything on that screen. And really hot."

Mickey grinned, the light from the screen reflecting off his face, illuminating it in that rare way he saved just for Ian, the way that made Ian's chest ache. "In that case," Mickey said, his eyes flashing. "Wanna forget the movie and make-out instead?"

Ian nodded, vigorously.  


End file.
